With many states pointing out the flaws in the no-detention policy in schools, the Union cabinet is likely to take up a proposal on Wednesday to scrap the procedure.

The Union cabinet is to decide on a proposal that will enable students of Class 5 and Class 8 who fail in their annual exams to give them another chance to pass in the middle of the year.(Getty Images/iStockphoto)

States will soon be able to able to conduct exams for students of class 5 and 8 who fail in the annual exams to give them another chance to pass with the Union cabinet likely to take up a proposal on Wednesday of scrapping the ‘no-detention policy’, sources said.

According to a senior HRD official, the proposal will be taken up in the cabinet meeting in this regard.

States will have the discretion to give another opportunity to these students to pass. Under the proposal, students of classes 5 to 8 who do not pass the examination in March will be given a chance in May or June.

However, they will be detained if they fail again according to the proposal.

Explaining how the system will work, a senior HRD official said in case a student is unable to pass the annual exam in March, he/she will get another opportunity in May or June. Before sitting for the exams once again, the students will be asked to attend ‘remedial classes’. Once the new system comes into force, the onus would be on the states to decide whether to hold examinations in classes 5 and 8.

“An enabling provision will be made in the RTE amendment bill that will allow states to conduct examinations in class 5 and class 8 and detain students if they fail,” said a senior HRD official.

Once the proposal is approved by the cabinet, the government will introduce a bill in the Parliament in this regard.

Under the existing no-detention policy, students are promoted automatically to higher classes every year till the eighth grade. A key component of the RTE Act, the no-detention policy unveiled by the UPA government came into force on April 1, 2010 with the intention of ensuring that every child aged between 6 and 14 received school education. However, for the past many years concerns have been raised about the negative impact of the policy on the academic performance of the students.

After holding consultation with states in the Central Advisory Board of Education meeting last year it was decided to give states the right to decide whether they want to have no-detention policy or not. This requires amending the RTE Act. The move will allow states to evolve their own policy of detention from Class 5.

Many states, especially Delhi, have been vocal about the flaws in the no-detention policy that has affected quality of education.

However, Telangana and Tamil Nadu have opposed the proposed amendment to the policy. The policy is likely to come into force from 2018.